Wizards and Vampires
by I'm-Reading
Summary: Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy having been abandoned and turned into vampires, decided to leave the Wizarding World.They move to Forks and meet the Cullens and Isabella Swan. Can they find new lives and loves?
1. Chapter 1

**Wizards and Vampires**

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer and J.K Rowling own the characters, and the prompt was given to me Tigersflame**

**Chapter One**

Harry sighed for the millionth time in the four hours they'd been tromping through the woods.

"I honestly don't understand what we're doing out here," Malfoy said for the thousandth time.

"As I've told you before, Malfoy. The new potion master needs us to collect herbs for her stockpile that's been running dangerously low."

"I don't see why she couldn't get it herself."

"Because Rose had a horrible flu, and couldn't leave her bed."

"There are potions for that," Malfoy sniffed as if that explained everything.

"The potion she needs for the flu needs the herbs that we're collecting."

Malfoy remained silent, annoyed that Harry had found a loophole in his complaints. Harry was content to bask in the silence of the moment. And once Malfoy _was _silent he could hear something, a rustling in the trees that unnerved him. He flipped his head around, noticing a rustling leaf. Once he watched it for a moment it was still. A minute later he heard another rustling, this time off to his right.

"Do you hear that?" Malfoy said his voice uncharacteristically quiet.

"Be very still," Harry said softly, "it has no reason to attack us."

With a quick flash of white; a figure appeared before them. It was a woman; her hair as red as fire, her face as pale as the moon and her eyes as red as blood.

"On the contrary..," she said with a grin, showing perfect white teeth, "I have every reason to attack you."

She chuckled for a moment. Seeming amused at an unknown joke.

"You smell _amazing_."

She inhaled deeply breathing in an unidentifiable scent. She circled first Harry and then Malfoy. Harry struggled to keep his breathing even; he had to give off a semblance of calm.

"We come in peace," Harry said slowly.

The vampire giggled. And then she started laughing and then she was kneeling over, placing a freezing hand on Harry's shoulder to support her.

"Oh my," she said another giggle escaping blood red lips, "Such a dear boy."

She dragged a pale finger across his face.

"You smell _so_ amazing."

She placed her face up to his; her nose and lips tracing his face, flowing down his neck. She licked his neck. Harry shivered, her tongue was cold. Malfoy edged away from the scene and quick as lightning the vampire let go of Harry who collapsed onto the floor.

"You smell good too," she said with a little smile.

She ran her nose along his neck stopping where she could feel the blood pulsing at his pulse.

"Like honey."

She smiled again.

"Oh," she said coming to a sudden realization, which seemed to make her happier.

"You're wizards."

Malfoy gave a quick nod.

"Good," she said, "I've heard wizard's blood is good for your system. Turns your eyes a very pretty shade of purple."

Malfoy paled. She gripped both his shoulder sinking her fangs straight into his pulse. He let out a scream, but they were way too far into the forest for anyone to every here them. After a moment, she moved away letting Malfoy fall to the forest floor, moaning in pain.

She gave Harry a smile, picking him off the floor and holding him in her arms, as if embracing a lover. She lifted his warm hand to his face. She sighed, inhaling deeply.

"You smell like heaven," she said, "it's almost a pity to kill you."

She let out a mournful sigh.

"I would keep you, you dear boy, if humans were not ever so fragile. You're like a little porcelain doll. So easily breakable. Tell me your name, my pet."

Harry was too tired to care.

"Harry Potter."

She smiled. And suddenly blood red lips were on his, they were cold and harsh unaccustomed to being so strong. She bit his lip hard enough that he could taste the blood in his mouth. The vampire moaned and sucked the blood from his lips, too satisfied to move to an easier position.

"You taste even better than you smell, Harry Potter," she moaned against his lips.

He moaned in pain, it felt like his lips were on fire and not in a way that was pleasurable in the slightest. The blood did not flow easily from his lips and she kissed him one last time before moving to his neck. She bit in hard, and he screamed in pain. Once she was satisfied she kissed his almost dead lips and disappeared into the night.

Malfoy moaned on the floor next to Harry and he rolled over closer to him.

"Stay alive, Potter, you've got to stay alive."

Harry moaned in response. The fire was spreading and it hurt too much to talk. All he could do was scream and hope it would rain; the rain would wash away the fire. He closed his eyes it hurt to see, it hurt to do anything. It went on forever, the moments ticking away like years. But he would live, if it was the last thing he could do. After seconds or years his eyes fluttered open.

It was like seeing the world for the first time. Everything shown in a new light, everything was a miracle. A fly buzzed a mile away. A dust mite settled onto the ground. Malfoy moved on the ground next to him. It was Malfoy and yet it wasn't. The man in front of him was as pale as the vampire had been with icy hair hanging in his blood red eyes. There was a haze covering everything, a distracting presence that hung in the back of his throat, a burning twice as bad as the cruciatus curse.

"Malfoy," Harry said and he was surprised how smooth and soft his voice was as smooth as the vampire had been. He winced.

"Not a word, Potter, not a word," Malfoy said annoyed.

He rubbed his temple with his hand and then his hands wandered to his throat and he winced.

"We need to get back," he said finally.

Harry looked at him carefully studying him before he replied.

"You do know what we are, don't you, Malfoy?'

"Draco," he said, "And I'm not an idiot Potter, I know what happens when you get bitten by a vampire."

"Harry," Harry said softly.

Draco whirled around. His slightly longer and looser hair whipped around his face before settling across his eyes once more.

"Call me Harry, Draco."

The name was said hesitantly but Draco smiled and turned around.

"Let's head back."

Harry sighed for the million and first time and agreed before started to head back. The day was bright and the sunlight hit every leaf and the tree sending spirals shouting off into the air. Harry and Draco both smiled.

"You look different now," Draco commented after a minute of walking.

"As do you," Harry replied.

They were silent for a moment and Harry marveled in the grace in which they moved. In another moment they'd reached the edge of the trees.

"Impossible," Draco breathed, "It took as four hours to reach the middle of the forest. It's taken us minutes to get this far."

As they stepped out into the sunlight the light reflected off of their skin twirling in the air and spiraling around them, creating the affect of sparkling. They pulled their cloaks around them tighter, using their hoods to cover the skin on their face. Even though the sun blared down upon them Harry found it odd that he felt neither hot nor cold.

As they neared the castle Harry felt a sweet smell enter his nose. It smelled as good as anything he had ever eaten and more and it made the back of his throat burn all the worse.

"What are we looking for?" Draco said holding his breath.

"Hermione," Harry gasped, the burning making it hard to speak, "she'll know what to do."

Draco nodded stiffly and swept his cloak in a fashion that Harry immediately tried to imitate. They moved through the corridors quickly their booted feet making no noise on the stone tiles.

"What class?" Draco asked stiffly.

"Charms," Harry muttered his feet moving even quicker on the floor.

They reached the door, moments later. Harry opened it stiffly trying his best not to leap and attack a Ravenclaw whose quill scratched against her paper quickly.

"We need Hermione Granger immediately," Harry said his velvety voice made the entire room look up at the cloaked figure, "Family emergency."

Hermione leaped from her seat collecting her bags, her face having gone white. Professor Flitwick looked flustered and he twittered nervously, "You go on my dear, I'll tell the rest of your teachers."

Hermione nodded and followed Harry quickly out the door. Harry and Draco kept their hoods up and quickly moved letting Hermione practically run to keep up.

"Where are we going?"

"Are my parents all right?"

"What's happened?"

"Who are you?"

"Can you tell me what's going on?"

"Has somebody died?"

"Can you hold on a secongd"

She never seemed to run out of questions, but the two vampires were constantly keeping their thoughts away from her scent. She smelled like cinnamon and vanilla, old books and honey, and a scent that Harry couldn't even name. It drove him insane, and he eagerly paced in front of the room of requirement. He opened the door and shut it when everyone was in. Once inside Harry and Draco discarded their cloaks and Hermione gasped.

"Harry," she gasped, "What happened? You've been gone and we'd thought… Oh, we've been so scared."

"We had a run in with a vampire," Draco said wryly.

"Oh, Harry," Hermione cried, tears pooling in her eyes.

She ran forward and threw her arms around him.

"_Hermione_…no," he said strongly and pushed her off him, trying not to concentrate on the warm blood flowing on her neck.

"Stand over there," he said pointing far enough away from her that her scent would not be as strong, "I can hear you."

Her eyes lit up with realization.

"Harry, I'm so sorry I didn't realize."

Her eyes filled with tears and Harry smiled to reassure her. She smiled weakly back at him.

"We need your help, Granger," Draco said bluntly.

"What can I do?" Hermione asked wiping the tears from the edges of her eyes.

"That's what we want to know, what can we do?"

Hermione's eyes lit up and Harry recognized that she was about to go into textbook mode.

"Vampires are not respected in the wizarding world, as low if not lower than a werewolf. They are most often locked up for the safety of the world. Once a vampire is bitten, they are in a stage which most call newborns. They are incredibly strong and fast and are incredibly thirsty. It's incredibly dangerous that you are here; you really shouldn't have come, Harry. But, after a year or so their control becomes better and they can go longer without feeding. Another interesting fact is that when a vampire is thirstier their eyes become darker."

She glanced a peek at their midnight black eyes.

"What do they drink Hermione?" Harry's voice was desperate and raw.

"Human blood," she said and her voice was shaking.

"Anything else," he said and he dropped to his knees in front of her.

"Yes," she squeaked, "they sometimes drink animal blood. But there are only two known covens that do."

"Where?" Harry said peeking through his thick lashes at her and it took Hermione a moment to answer.

"Forks, Washington."

"Thank you," Draco said and pulled on his cloak and tossing Harry his.

"Wait," Hermione called, and they turned around to look at her.

"When will we see you again?"

"When we can come back, maybe never. The wizarding world isn't a safe place for us anymore."


	2. Chapter 2

**Wizards and Vampires**

**AN. Thanks so much for all the positive response, it means a lot to me. This chapter is a lot shorter than the first chapter, and I'm sorry. I'll try to get them longer. Thanks again for reading, and if you have any suggestions or comments i'd be happy to hear them. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize. **

**Chapter 2**

"Where to next?" Draco asked as they walked across the British countryside, miles away from the school.

"Forks," Harry said dryly.

Draco laughed and ruffled Harry's hair, in a way that almost seemed _affectionate._

"How do we get there?" Draco tried again, choosing to make his question more specific.

Harry's mouth tugged upward briefly, not quite a smile. but close enough.

"Apparition points. There is one that will take us to America; we can apparate from there to Forks."

Draco looked at him curiously. Dark red eyes reading over his face.

"How do you know that?"

Harry shrugged, "It's something I needed to know, during the war."

Draco nodded, he knew more than enough about that.

"You're different than I expected, you know?" he said after a minute.

Harry looked up in surprise.

"What do you mean?"

Draco shrugged, seeming uncomfortable with the question.

"I'd always thought that you were an attention seeking toerag that wanted nothing more than popularity and could barely hold his wand the right way."

Harry surprised him by laughing. Draco looked confused.

"What?" he asked.

Harry looked at him.

"You sound exactly like my mum," he said smiling and letting another chuckle escape his lips.

Draco looked at him, his face slightly aghast. Harry burst out laughing again.

"What?" Draco said, "Tell me what's so funny."

"My mum always called my dad an attention seeking toerag."

When they'd walked for awhile, Harry smiled.

"Thanks."

"For what?"

Harry just continued smiling. Draco shrugged

"Your welcome."

.After a moment of walking, they stopped.

"Take hold of my arm," Harry said.

Draco nodded, gripping his arm tightly.

"You better not get us lost, Potter."

Harry flashed him a perfect smile, showing white teeth.

"No problem."

In a whirl of colors they disappeared with a soft pop. They landed unsteadily on their feet.

"Ready," Harry said.

Draco nodded and drew his wand. With a pop the two wizards were gone. A moment later they appeared again, Harry collapsed on the ground.

"Never again," he said, though he quickly regained his strength and climbed to his feet.

Draco smiled.

"Not that hard."

Harry swatted him on the head. Draco gave him a mock hurt expression and rubbed his head. Harry grabbed Draco's arm and for the third time that day the two wizards disappeared with a pop.

They appeared in a clearing covered in green. Rain poured down on all sides, easily soaking the two vampires. Harry let out a sigh of pleasure.

"I love the rain."

Draco groaned.

"I don't."

* * *

Draco surveyed his new home with bemused interest.

"It's tiny," he said after a moment's inspection.

"Yes," Harry said, desperately trying to ignore the ache in his throat that seemed to grow worse every second.

In truth the house that they now called home was not that small. It had two floors with a long row of windows that ran along the west and south sides of the house. It was painted a pale yellow, so pale that it was almost white. Harry smiled.

"It'll do, I suppose," Draco admitted.

"We need to find the vampires?" Harry said sucking in just enough breath so that he could talk. It didn't help his burning throat.

"What do vampires smell like?" Draco said as he too drew in a last breath of air..

Harry was silent as he started running. Draco followed; easily keeping pace with the young vampire. After a moment a sweet smell entered Harry's nose, it wasn't sweet like blood was, but it was definable. A vampire smell. Harry smiled in delight. Veering off to the right he spotted a beautiful Victorian house, the smell emanated strongly from every crack in the walls, not that there where any; the house was beautifully maintained.

The instant they entered the yard in which the house stood immediately six vampires stood in front of them; topaz eyes, so unlike Harry and Draco's blood red ones, looked at them cautiously.

"Who are you," a voice said, indistinguishable from the rest of the pack.

"You don't drink human blood?" Harry asked curiously.

"No," a friendly looking man said stepping forward. His voice matched that as the one that had just spoken.

"We need your help," Harry said, he coughed weakly clutching his throat, "So thirsty."

"When were you changed," the man asked, he came forward, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. It felt the same temperature as his, not the freezing cold the other vampire's had been.

"The day before yesterday," he panted, the burning making it difficult to speak.

A smell entered his nose. It was a sweet freesia, tinged with everything that was good in the world. He looked for its source. A girl with flowing brown hair peeked her head around the corner and walked slowly out of the house.

"Edward?" she asked slowly, tripping across her own to feet.

None of them were fast enough to stop him; he was on her in a second. A compact body hit him, knocking him to the ground, snarling fiercely. Harry whined, trying to push the figure away. Draco refused his hold, keeping him locked onto the ground. Eventually the young vampire pushed him off. The coven was covering the girl, making her impossible to see, but not to smell.

"So thirsty," Harry groaned, holding his burning throat in his hands.

"I'll take them," a pixie like soprano said.

A short figure stepped out of the bunch. Resembling more a pixie than Harry had ever seen. She had short black hair, pale angelic features, and the same butterscotch eyes the man had had. She smiled before taking both of the vampire's hands and skipping off, leaving behind a throng of confused vampires.


	3. Chapter 3

The three vampires were swift and the forest quickly turned into a multi-colored blur. Things were senseless, timeless if you will. One moment they were one place the next they were already gone. Smells blended into one aching sensation. The pine needles and the scents of the other vampires combined. The two newborns skidded to a halt as a smell invaded their noses, it was a musky scent and it drew them forward sniffing all the while.

A herd of deer trampled through the underbrush frightened by the sounds of the pale beings. Draco lunged forward towards a large stag that seemed to lead the pack. In an instant Harry was in front of him blocking his way and hissing. Draco looked at him in surprise black eyes widening. The pixie vampire too seemed surprised.

Harry's eyes traveled fondly over the stag as he ran from them.

"Dad," he whispered.

The three moved on, the other vampires still watching Harry in confusion. He paid them no mind. A moment later they came upon a stream where the water came to a gentle standstill. The other vampire explained to them that where a stream was animals always came. She was right it seemed as their noses already told them.

They descended on the poor creatures and in an instant the ache in their throats disappeared replaced by something called contentment.

Harry sighed and wiped the blood from his mouth. They walked slowly and it seemed that no one wanted to return to the big white house. The pixie girl looked at the two. They were very different, she decided. One had short dark hair that stuck in different direction. It suited him though. His face was flawless as all vampires are, but it had the look of a face that had already been quite handsome before. One thing that was noticed right away was a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt in the middle of his forehead. It was faint but she could tell he had, had it long before his transformation. That was odd, she thought, her little brow wrinkling. For the transformation should have cured it.

The other boy, she turned her attention to next. His hair reminded her of ice dripping down across his face, the palest of pale blonds. His face was aloof, a man of breeding then. But he bore it well. There was certain wisdom in both their faces of burdens coming upon them before they were old enough to hold the weight. She decided they were to be trusted.

"I'm Alice Cullen," she told them, holding out her hand.

The raven haired one took it first; his grip was both gentle and firm. It showed a two sided view.

"Harry Potter."

"Draco Malfoy."

Alice nodded in a happy way taking both their hands in her own.

"Come," she said, "You must excuse my family's earlier behavior."

When they entered the clearing in which they had left an hour earlier they found that they were not alone. A group of boys had gathered standing apart from the vampires. All nearly seven feet with dark skin and untrusting eyes.

"What are they doing here?" one asked with contempt.

"What is that horrible stench?" Draco asked snobbishly, just loud enough that they would overhear.

Harry elbowed him as one of the boys growled.

"It would do well not to anger them," he whispered, "They don't seem safe."

"Who are you?" One boy asked stepping out of the mob.

He was the tallest, though one boy seemed to be only a few inches sort. But he commanded an aura of power and presence that did not stem from his height, it came from his heart and sould. He seemed to command them and they went quiet as he stepped forward to speak, appeased.

"They come in peace," Carlisle said stepping forward.

"They may speak for themselves," the boy stated calmly.

Harry stepped forward placing his hand on Draco's shoulder to hold him back.

"We are new to this world and when we were changed we would rather have not hurt anybody. We heard of the Cullen's and we knew that they could help us and when we arrived Alice helped us to hunt. We have only just arrived and we do not which to disturb the peace."

It seemed to satisfy the leader but another boy stepped forward dark eyes appraising us.

"How did you know of the Cullens."

Harry shrugged.

"My friend read of them and told us where to find them."

"I was not aware," Carlisle said curiously, "That the humans knew we existed."

Harry laughed, though everyone's eyes seemed to be transfixed towards him.

"The Muggle's don't, in their minds you only exist in fiction. Though of course we know who you are."

"We?"

This seemed to be an agreed consensus among the group and though it was only Alice that spoke, you could tell that it was the whole group speaking with her voice.

Harry glanced at Draco who shrugged.

"I don't see what the harm is," he said not bothering to keep his voice down, "We are no harm to them."

The group looked at them curiously the dark skinned ones with eyes full of suspicion. The Cullen's it seemed were content to wait it out.

"We're wizards," Harry said simply.

Their reaction was almost comical. They all stared glazed eyed at the two wizards. Then the boy who had asked how they knew that Cullen's spoke, almost as if on impulse.

"So these guys are what wizards and vampires…. wizpires?"

All the dark skinned boys groaned.

"Oh come on, Jacob. You got to know that was horrible."

There was a chorus of talking amongst both groups and between the groups. Alice pranced off to join them, giving the two wizards apologetic smiles as she went. The two groups (after much argument) seemed to agree and the dark haired leader stepped forward to meet them.

"We would like a display of your…. skills."

"Ah come on, Draco," Harry cried slapping him on the back, "They don't believe us."

Harry drew his wand from his back pocket twirling it between two fingers. Harry grinned wickedly and Draco reluctantly drew his wand from his blood-stained robes.

Harry conjured an armchair curiously similar to the ones that Dumbledore himself conjured. He sank into it continuously twirling his wand. The group looked at the armchair in amazement, looking for the world like they expected Harry to fall right through it.

"Draco," Harry called and Draco looked at him amused.

"You fancy yourself a duel."

"No," he said not waiting for Draco to answer, "I'd cream you."

"Aha," he cried, sounding every bit like his father, "We'll give them a color show, should be harmless."

"My robes," Draco cried as Harry stood banishing his chair.

"Oh quit your complaining. Your robes are ruined anyway."

Draco gave him that as he brandished his wand. Harry smiled wickedly and he steadied the urge to groan. With a flick of Harry's wand paint flew towards Draco and before Draco knew exactly what was happening pink paint dripped down the front of his robes. He flicked his wand towards Harry quickly who ducked and threw another. The fight continued until both were covered completely in paint thought the surrounding area seemed to have sustained most of the damage.

"I'm done," Draco declared loudly.

Harry smiled as a paint ball hit Draco in the face.

"Ooops," he said innocently.

Draco growled. The group stood together watched in amazement before they began clapping. Harry kicked of his shoes which were smattered with paint and blood and peeled off his soaks. He shrugged off his robe and pulled off his sweater. Wiping his face, hands and hair on the insides of both and dropped them on the shoes. He stood in front of Draco with a clean shirt and pants and looked at the pain covered Draco.

"Tough break, mate," he said leaning to pat him on the back then deciding better of it.

The group watched them with a great deal of amazement and Harry turned towards them, his face a mask of seriousness.

"Do not think magic is all fun and games. Many people have died of it."

He flicked his wand at a tree casually and they watched as a series of slashes were imbedded in the side all of them at least a foot deep.

"Let that be a warning."


	4. Chapter 4

_**AN. I don't really like it, but it's been too long since I updated.... so I thought I might as well put it out there. If anyone has any suggestions or things that they want to happen, I'll take them all into consideration, though, I do have some things that I know I'm gonna do.... Thanks. Enjoy!!**_

The day dawned fresh and bright, the sun rising as a pink line on the horizon. The rain came down and soaked Harry's hair and clothes thoroughly. He leaned back seeming to inhale the water. He felt neither hot nor cold but the rain, he could feel the rain, a fresh prickling against his marble hard body. He shook his head the water coming off him in a quick spray and in the next moment he was safely in the house a towel in his hand.

"I'll never get used to it," Draco said from his place by the fireside.

The fire casted a glow, casting part of his pale face in darkness and the other in light. It seemed to Harry that it suited the boy well.

"Perhaps not," Harry said simply, "We only have the rest of the eternity."

Draco leaned back into the comfort of the couch, though he felt none of it.

"I just wonder if this is the way it's meant to be."

Harry looked at him quickly, red eyes widening in surprise and anger and they burned straight into his soul, trying to understand his meaning. Draco didn't even flinch, he had seen far worse in the eyes of Lord Voldemort and he held Harry's gaze with a challenging look in his eyes.

"What do you mean?" he said coldly.

"Don't you believe in fate?" Draco asked.

"I've had enough of fate in my lifetime," the words were harsh and angry but Draco easily latched onto them.

"Exactly," Draco said eagerly, red eyes gleaming in the firelight, "The prophecy. It was fate that you defeat Lord Voldemort and you've done exactly that, no one could do what you did."

Harry sighed, the challenge fading from his eyes. He laid his head in his hands and Draco was surprised by the weariness that he saw in the young face.

"I have lain awake every night for the past three years wondering that exact question. The prophecy was fulfilled because we believed in it. If Voldemort hadn't thought that I was the one to defeat him, he wouldn't have killed my parents; he wouldn't have believed me a big threat if he hadn't thought I was the one to kill him. If Dumbledore hadn't believed it, maybe he would have tried harder to kill Voldemort. Perhaps he wouldn't be dead today. That damned prophecy!"

He lifted his head from his hands and Draco could see the hatred that burned in his eyes, the fury and the grief that lay there.

"So many people have died," he muttered softly and for a moment Draco was sure that he was going to burst into tears.

But he simply turned her head from Draco and spoke softly but firmly.

"You spoke of fate."

Draco nodded to himself, trying to shake the image of the pained face of the forever strong Boy-Who-Lived.

"I meant that if we thirst for the blood of humans than perhaps we were meant to drink their blood."

Harry's head whipped around in his face all traces of sadness and guilt wiped from his face, replaced by anger.

"No, listen to me," Draco said quickly, "We were made for a reason. We thirst for blood for a reason, have you ever considered that perhaps it would be denying nature to not give into our thirsts."

"But the pain," Harry said, "The pain we endured, I would never want to set that on another human being."

He shivered lost in the memory seen through his blurry human eyes. Draco apparently had expected the answer.

"Do you think that the animals do not feel pain as we feed on them?"

Harry looked at him quickly and it became a battle of wills as they stared intently at each other, Harry looked away his eyes full of guilt.

"It's different."

Draco leaned back in his seat, his point made.

Harry was out of the house in a second the towel lying forgotten on the chair. He ran, the wind running through his soaking hair and the water flew off his body. Running was akin to the feeling of Quittitch the same breathless excitement, the same feeling of flying through air, the same relief from all his worries, from all the problems of the world.

Soon he was far away, one scene blurring into the next until he wasn't aware of anything just the quit fall of his feet as they hit the earth. He found himself in a clearing. Something had drawn him too this spot, there was a certain tingling, the prickle of magic as it danced across his skin. It was by no means beautiful, though he wouldn't have called it ugly. It was small, room enough only for perhaps two people to lie out, but it was more of a feel of calm to the place. An inner peace that seemed to come from the overlaying branches that left just enough room that you could see the stars.

He lay out; laying his arms behind his head the stars seemed to dance before his eyes. The time flashing by as the stars moved out across the sky. He could have lain there forever, in peace, in solitude.

He rose, though wiping himself off. He walked slowly and leisurely. Enjoying the stretch of his legs. He wandered, making no intention to come back the way he had come. He just walked; it seemed to stretch on forever, an hour, a day, a week, a month. Time didn't seem quite as important anymore. He felt as if he was the singular person in the world and the world for a moment the world seemed to bend to his will.

It was the emptiness of the world. It was the feeling of calm. It was hallucinations. It was anything but what lay ahead of him. Anything but what lay behind. He'd always lived off of the past. His entire being seemed to be based off of a moment that he couldn't even remember. Selfishly he wished that Voldemort had chosen Neville. Though when Harry considered it reasonably, he knew he was the only one. He'd made so many mistakes, they each lay down on him, even though years seemed to have passed. He regretted every selfish moment. Every angry word to someone that he loved. He regretted every lazy moment, every time he had ignored someone who's funeral he then had to intend. He regretted every life that he had taken. All the burdens seemed to way him down until it seemed that he could hardly take a step.

_Somebody save me_.He wanted to scream. _Save me from myself. save me from all my bitter longing._


	5. Chapter 5

**AN. Hey!! I am soooooo sorry that it's been this long. I feel really bad. I know that a lot of people read this, and I want to thank those of you who are putting it on alerts, and favorite. It means a lot to me. This story, for some reason, is really hard for me to write, and to be satisfied with. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this. And I'd REALLY appreciate getting your input. It would help me a lot if you could give me some ideas. Villains, plot twists, character development, situations you'd like to put the characters in, even dialog you think would be funny. It would help me a lot if I knew where I might go with this story, because I'm not sure what to do. Sorry that this is super short...... Thanks for reading! Enjoy!**

The day dawned new and fresh as the two vampires stood outside the school. The pale light gave the drab school an even dreary look and the aristocratic vampire sniffed.

"I don't like it," Draco said.

"You don't have to be here."

Draco huffed loudly.

Harry walked away, his feet making not a sound as they hit the ground. Draco moved to catch up, falling into step, not saying another word of complaint. They made their way to the front office. As they entered a blast of warm air hit their faces, making the backs of their throats ache. The lady who stood at the desk looked up in surprise, eyes wide. She was a large woman with curling red hair that hung in her face and glasses that were perched on the far end of her nose.

"Do you know the Cullens?" she asked, not able to control what came out of her mouth.

"Friends," Harry said briefly, "I talked to you on the phone last week about enrolling in your school."

The woman nodded, and sorted through some files on her desk. Blushing bright red and making papers fly rapidly.

"Having some trouble?" Draco asked smoothly.

The woman turned a brighter shade of red and finally pulled a small clump of papers from underneath a cup of coffee. She handed it to them quickly, as if to avoid any further embarrassment. Harry smiled in encouragement.

"Thank you," he said, wincing as a draft of air brought her scent whirling towards them.

"Harry, Draco."

"Ms. Cullen," the receptionist said, a wide smile lighting up her plump face.

"Good morning Mrs. Cope," an angelic voice said brightly.

Harry and Draco turned to face Alice Cullen. The short vampire smiled brightly, revealing straight even white teeth.

"I'd be happy to show these gentlemen around the school," Alice said brightly, pushing between the two boys.

"Oh, well, that would be lovely dearie."

The older woman smiled at the short girl, looking like she was about to pat her on her head.

"Run along then, you three. You wouldn't want to be late on your first day at Forks High."

The three exited the door, Alice dropping a slip in a basket on her way out. They were greeted with fresh sweet air, and Harry sucked in a breath of sweet fresh air..

"I'll show you around," Alice said.

Draco raised one slender eyebrow at her.

"You were serious about that."

"Yes, Draco," Harry said, "not everyone's a Slytherrin."

"Hissss"

Harry crinkled his nose.

"What?"

"Do you have any clue what you just said?"

"Oh yea, _now_ you decide to listen to me, Potter."

"Let me just say, you don't want to know."

Alice coughed politely beside them.

"Some of us are simply vampires. And not wizards-vampire hybrids."

"Simply vampires?"

Alice 'hmmm'ed and took their schedules from Harry's hands.

"Alright," she said, flipping between the two pages, "Draco you have all your classes with Bella and Edward."

"Blondie?"

"No, she's human."

Draco looked at her in her disbelief.

"Repeat that."

"Bella is human. Harry almost ate her a couple months ago."

"Oh," he said shortly.

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"Edward will forgive you. Eventually."

Harry ran a hand through his hair, "this will be harder than I thought."

Alice smiled encouragingly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"The first couple of years are the hardest. You're doing better than anyone I've ever seen before."

Alice gestured her hand at the layout of five buildings. Sweeping her hand out like a game show host.

"There are three main wings." She pointed to the middle three buildings. "The administrative office and the gym. They're organized by numbers, so they're normally really easy to find." She rolled her eyes. "Usually. The buildings are connected by hallways, indoors, and breezeways, outdoors. The cafeteria is in the back of the main three." She smiled widely. "In other words, follow me and I'll take you to your first class."

******************

"Edward, Bella, this is Harry and Draco."

A pretty brunette turned and Draco inhaled and closed his eyes. Harry smiled nervously, and held out his hand.

"I apologize for my attitude before. As I'm sure you know we have certain needs. I regret that I almost took them out on you. Draco?"

Harry turned towards his friend. His eyes were staring, unseeing, fixed on one spot. Bella Swan. Harry grasped his shoulders. Draco felt limp in his arms.

"Alice," Harry said lowly, trying not to cause a scene, but he knew all the eyes of the half empty room were on them.

She knelt down beside the pair, placing her delicate hand on the kneeling Draco's shoulder.

"Draco."

He didn't respond. His eyes remained fixed resolutely on Bella, who squirmed underneath the intensity of his gaze.

"What's going on Edward?" she asked leaning into the male next to her.

Edward furrowed his eyebrows.

"I don't understand," he said too low for Bella to pick up.

Draco stopped. He closed his eyes before opening them again. For an instant they looked to be a cold grey color that Harry recognized, and then when he looked again they were a deep dark amber.

"I'm sorry," Draco said graciously, "I don't know what came over me."

Edward seemed dissatisfied with the answer, but let Draco slide into the seat beside Bella. Alice turned to Harry as soon as they sat down.

"What just happened?" she asked, topaz eyes wide.

Harry shrugged.

"Who knows?"


	6. Chapter 6

Harry and Alice walked in silence neither feeling the need to fill the silence with mindless chatter. They were both listening to the conversation up ahead. Harry's eyes were fixed firmly on Draco, Alice's on Edward.

"I don't understand," Edward said to Draco, "What happened back there?"

Though their backs were to the pair they could both practically see the frown that marred Draco's features, light eyebrows pulling down.

"I believe that it's something particular to my family."

"No," Edward said roughly.

He wasn't responding to what Draco had said, that much was obvious.

"What does it mean?" Edward asked urgently.

"I'm not sure," Draco said, "It hasn't happened since my great-great-grandfathers time."

Alice frowned and turned towards Harry, "What's happening?"

Harry shrugged, his face nonchalant, but his eyes worried.

"I didn't have a common wizard upbringing. Draco on the other hand…" he trailed off unsure how to continue.

"Explain," Edward said in a low voice.

"Stay out of my mind," Draco hissed.

"Explain it first," Edward gave him his fiercest glare and Harry could hear Draco let out a little sigh.

"My family, the oldest pureblood families in general, are born with a certain match, one person in the world that they were meant to be with. It's very rare that someone ever finds their soulmate. It doesn't mean that we can't love, but the level of commitment one feels towards their mate is something… that's matched by nothing else."

Edward hissed. But it wasn't at Draco, just annoyance.

"And you believe that Bella is your _soulmate_."

He said the word in such a way that it almost sounded like an insult. Draco let out an audible sigh.

"It's a possibility," he said cautiously, "Our maybe it was just love at first sight.'

This time his tone was mocking. Edwards's shoulders slumped and muttered something that sounded vaguely like, "not another one."

"What does it entail," Edward said carefully and though Harry could only see the boy's back he could tell that his eyes were tightening, turning a shade darker.

Edward winced and turned to glare at Draco.

"I would say the situation is… unique."

"You can't live without her," Edward said simply.

Draco turned towards him slowly.

"It scares me," he said so softly that the two vampires behind him had to lean forward to hear, "that my life is connected to something so fragile. So breakable. I would do anything to take it back."

"As would I," Edward said stalking off to his English class.

**********

Draco sat massaging his head, _as if that would help the headache, _Harry thought with a chuckle. Draco and Harry had chosen to sit with the Cullens at lunchtime and the fragile alliance between the Cullens and Bella's human friends had been laid aside for the day. The vampires and Bella sat alone.

There was an uneasy silence frothing between Draco and Edward stemming from their earlier conversation. Bella, sensing the distance between the new vampire and her beau had kept her distance from Draco. That was probably the main reason behind Draco's mood.

The only sound at the table was Bella and Alice's quiet conversation about the upcoming weekend. All the vampires at the table could hear the whispers as if they had been spoken just loudly enough for everyone to hear. They all tuned it away, each focusing on their own thoughts.

Harry had out a piece of paper, writing quickly and concisely. A pencil felt weird in his hand after using a quill for so long. Harry could sense Edwards lips turning upward at the thought.

_Ron and Hermione,_

_ I'm sorry for not having written earlier. Things are more complicated now. It's difficult to explain. Draco and I have moved to the States, hoping to remain undercover from the wizarding world, at least for awhile. We've found others like us that only feed off the blood of animals. It's gotten good enough that Draco and I have enrolled in the local high school. Judging from the way that they live I take it that we'll move around a lot._

_ Life is different than I've ever imagined things. It's hard to believe all the things that have changed. It's been hard to adjust without you here with me. Send Ginny my love, tell her I miss her, but I know now that things can't ever work out between us. Vampires and humans unfortunately don't mix as well as some would like._

_ I'm sorry I can't explain more. I promise we'll visit soon, but it will be awhile before I see you again. Miss you._

_HJP_

Harry folded the note carefully, sticking it in the pocket of his jeans where no one could see it. Edward shot him a shrewd glance, as if trying to judge him.

"You're giving her up?" Edward questioned in a low voice that only Harry could hear.

Harry nodded softly. _She deserves someone who can be there for her in ways that I know I can't. _He thought it at Edward, not wanting to say the words a loud.

Edward nodded his head in understanding, but frowned.

"Is it hard?" he asked, "to be away from her?'

It took him a minute to process that, even though he knew Edward was probably analyzing his thoughts as much as his answers. Edward let out a little chuckle when he thought that. _It's hard to be away from her, _he thought almost serenely, _but better to know that she's safe. I'm sure she'll understand. _He smiled sadly; _this isn't the first time I've left her for her safety._

Edward turned away concentrating inwardly and trying to tune out the thoughts of the other occupants of the table. Alice wondering if the new vampires would consent to go on a shopping trip, Harry wondering when he'd see his friends again, Draco wondering what Bella was like (he didn't particularly like that thought). He tried to tune it all out, let himself become absorbed in his own thoughts. But the voices kept popping into his brain.

Harry seemed to notice this and sent a thought his way. _Do you need help? _Edward nodded his head wordlessly. Harry smiled slightly and then his brain just disappeared. Edward opened his eyes to make sure he was still there. He was, it was like he was holding a shield in place so that Edward couldn't hear a thought in his head. Harry mumbled something to Draco and soon Draco's thoughts too disappeared.

"How is that possible?" Edward asked.

"Wizard thing," Harry said, and then snickered, "weird for someone to know about us that doesn't call us freaks."

"Freak," Alice said lightly, making Harry laugh.

"Happy to be so," he said smiling, showing pure white teeth.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN. MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone! Here's my Christmas present to y'all. Sorry that it's a little short, I hope you enjoy!**

Ginny held the paper in her hand. Unfolding it for the millionth time, the creases wearing into the ink so that it was almost illegible. She knew it now by heart.

_Ginny,_

_Sorry you haven't heard from me in forever. I know I left kind of suddenly, but I couldn't stay in England, it's not safe for me there. I'm sure that Hermione has already told you and Ron what happened so I won't even bother explaining. I miss you and I love you, know that I always will. But fate had drawn us apart and I think that this is where it ends. I'd really like to see you in person, one last time if it's not too hard for you. It's easier now to be around humans and I really want to see you. _

_HJP_

She scowled at the piece of paper, but refolded it carefully and tucked it into the pocket of her robe. She gazed into the fireplace in the common room trying to distract herself from a certain raven haired, green eyed wizard. She sighed curling her legs up under her and drawing a book towards her, tucking the blanket around her legs. She opened the book only to find that it was about vampires. She tossed it angrily into the fireplace, not caring that it had cost her a galleon. She sighed and immediately went to fetch it before it was burned beyond repair. She snagged it and set it on the table beside the couch.

She hadn't cried when Harry had gone off fighting Voldemort. She'd been strong. And even though he'd left her relatively safe, she'd done what she could from the inside. There was nothing she could do know. She sighed unfolding the letter one more time, looking at the familiar chicken scratch that danced across a lined page. I love you, he'd said. I want you to come see me.

She remembered a similar letter that he'd sent a week ago to Ron and Hermione. S_end Ginny my love, tell her I miss her, but I know now that things can't ever work out between us. Vampires and humans unfortunately don't mix as well as some would like. _Why couldn't things work out, she wondered. Things were different now, admittedly. But things were never impossible. It wasn't like Tonks and Lupin hadn't worked out. She stopped herself at that thought, they were both dead now. She finally pulled out a quill and a piece of parchment, something she'd avoided doing for the past couple of days.

_Harry,_

_It's weird being at Hogwarts without you here. Ron and Hermione are moping and we all miss you. I still love you, you know, and I will do whatever I can so that we can work out. I know that you told Ron and Hermione that vampires and humans don't work out. But you have to know that we're not just human, Harry. We, as wizards, have advantages that Muggles don't. I know that we could make it if we tried hard enough. I want to see you. Tell me where you're staying and I'll floo in for a visit. _

_Much Love,_

_Ginny_

She reread it several times, before almost tossing it into the fire. She sighed, whistling for Ron's new owl, which she had dubbed Mena and attaching the letter to her leg.

"Up for a really long flight, girl?" she asked the owl.

Mena stared up with her with large eyes and Ginny would have sworn that the owl nodded.

"Take this to Harry in Washington would you?"

The owl looked at her solemnly before flapping her tawny wings and disappearing into the night. She let the tears stream silently down her face.

* * *

"So what's your story?" Alice asked, staring up as the sun spiraled towards them, and sparkled off their skin.

"What story?" Harry asked, trying to pretend to be ignorant.

"Your story, all wizards must have one."

"And vampires don't," he challenged.

"No, they do," she assured him, "I just wanted to hear yours first."

He sighed, leaning back against the grass and tucking his arms underneath his head.

"I suppose my story is slightly more extravagant than some."

She smiled, "I'm always up for a good story."

So he told her, about it all. About his parents and Voldemort. About being the Chosen One and the boy who lived. He told her about Ron and Hermione, his best friends. All the adventures they'd had every year. He told her about Cedric's death and Voldemort's return. He told her about Sirius and how much he'd meant to him.

"It's my fault that he died," he told her.

She looked at him seriously, butterscotch eyes curious, if not a little surprised.

"I thought that woman, Lestrange killed him."

He looked at her darkly, "It's not always the spell that kills a person. He wouldn't have been there if he didn't think he had to protect me."

"And you don't think he would have left the house sooner or later."

"Not unless there was a good reason."

"And you think that protecting you wasn't a good reason?"

"No! He should have been safe!"

"But he would've done anything for you."

"I know," he said, an aching sob coming up in his throat. He cradled his head in his arms and shuddered, shaking with tears that couldn't come out.

"I always thought I'd join them one day, you know? See my Mum and Dad. Have tea with the Mauraders. See all the people that died in the war. I was counting on it really? I _hate _this. It's never something I would ever, ever choose for myself."

Alice laughed lightly, and Harry turned to glare at her, eyes now a deep dark black.

"You should talk to Bella.. She's just dying to become a vampire."

"The humor is not appreciated, Alice. I would trade places with her in a heart beat."

Alice sighed, sadly.

"Does she not know the pain of what we are?"

"She sees a sugar coated version, I would say. The beauty, the immortality."

"What about losing those you care about, the pain of the thirst all the time?"

Alice looked at him, as if calculating how much he could handle, "what if the one person you loved, lived forever and you knew that you would die eventually and they would continue on living?"

"I'll never have to deal with that."

"I know, I can't even imagine."


	8. Chapter 8

**AN. I'm really, really sorry. But since I have no excuse except laziness I'm not going to say anything, you'd much rather be reading the new chapter. So ENJOY!! and I'll update quicker next time.**

Bella sat by herself, that was the first thing Harry noticed. It was an odd change. She was constantly supervised, like some sort of unruly child. She was either surrounded by Edward, growling when anyone came close, or Alice chattering away about some shopping trip or sleepover that she was sure Bella would just love, or even Draco, tagging along like some lovesick puppy. It seemed to Harry that she was constantly surrounded by company.

He slid into the seat next to her.

"Edward and Alice have gone hunting," she informed me.

"I know," I said, "finally free of your bounds."

"Did he send you here to watch me, make sure I don't sneak off?"

His lips quirked and he remembered Edward just that morning, growling about her safety and some boy named Jacob.

"Perhaps," he simply settled with saying, "you know him well."

"Yeah," she said the hint of a smile playing at her lips, "I really love him, you know. But I just wish he wasn't quite so worried about me."

"How so?" he asked.

Bella had always remained a mystery to Harry. Everyone that met her adored her. She was surrounded by people, and everyone who knew her seemed willing to give up their life for her. Why they were so fascinated by a simple girl, neither wizard nor vampire was beyond him. But after talking to Alice about immortality, he was curious about her view on things.

"He's always going on about my soul," she admitted in a quiet voice, "he believes that all vampires are damned regardless of the things they do afterwards. He believes that just being one is enough to damn you in the afterlife."

"And if he was right?" he asked intently, gazing at her pale face, "would you do it regardless?"

She hesitated for a fraction of second, but Harry could see that there was steel in those seemingly harmless brown eyes, "yes," she said, "I would do anything to be with Edward forever."

"You're wrong," he said so bluntly that she looked up from her sandwich in surprise.

"Why?" she asked, sticking out her chin defiantly and he had to admire her gusto.

"First off, it hurts like hell. From beginning till the end. I suppose you've heard that enough times to know that it's true. Just sitting next to you… is painful, extremely so. I suppose you've been told you smell good?"

She gave me a little nod, but didn't even bother to move further away. She didn't even looked scared, just gave a quick little nod to show him that she had thought of this.

"There are always the little things that you'll miss. It may seem so insignificant. But already I miss the feeling of being cold and then numbing your feet out by a fire. Food. Oh, yes, I miss food. I used to love to eat chocolate. Any kind would do. We had this one store that sold the best I've ever tasted. I've tried it now, tastes like dirt. Worst thing I've ever eaten."

She set down the sandwich she was eating carefully and he raised an eyebrow. She looked at him defiantly and pushed the food away as if to say, "I don't need to eat."

"Have you ever lost someone?" he asked her, topaz eyes gazing at her, analyzing her every thought and facial expression.

"Not really," she admitted, "I mean I lost my grandmother a couple of years ago, and I mean it's been hard without my mom for the past year or so, but we keep up…"

He leaned back, and if she wasn't mistaken he seemed almost disappointed, "I lost my parents when I was a baby," he said without flinching, "and my godfather when I was 15. My mentor when I was 16, the last remaining man in my life that I looked up to last year. I've lost friends, family, I never actually met my grandparents; they died before I was born. Murdered now that I think of it. I've killed people, too."

"I know," she said, but she was quivering.

He was gazing at her intently, but when he leaned back, he didn't look angry. Just sad, very sad. And old. That was her first thought. She knew that he was no older than she was, but looking into those topaz eyes, she knew he had seen more than she ever would. Even if she lived for all of eternity.

"I wanted to die," he said it very slowly and meaningfully, "not now of course. I planned to live my life. Marry my girlfriend. Have kids. Grow old with the friends that I had left. But I wanted the afterlife. I wanted someday to die. I don't think that's a crime. To see your loved ones in the afterlife."

He looked at her and for a second she thought she saw tears in his eyes. But it must have been a trick of the light, because vampires couldn't cry. But the sentiment was there, buried in those eyes. And for the first time, she wondered.

"Soon. Far sooner than you are thinking," he said, "The people around us." He waved his arm around at the bustling cafeteria, "will be living their lives. They'll grow up, get married, have jobs, have kids, die. It's the natural flow of the world. What we are created to do. What you want to be, what I am, isn't natural. It isn't right."

"What other chose do I have?" she asked him, "I can't let go of him."

He looked at her, and she was surprised to see no sympathy in his eyes.

"Sometimes," he said, "You can't always be with the one you love the most. You have to let go. Stay human, Bella. Think about what you'd be missing out on."

And with that, he stood up, grabbed his bag and then hers and helped her out of her chair and led her to her next class. He didn't say much for the rest of the day, he had said all he had planned to, maybe more.

* * *

Bella heard a tapping on her window in the middle of the night. She groaned, but immediately rolled off her back and onto her feet, expecting Edward back early from her hunting trip. She opened the window to be greeted with the smiling face of Jacob Black.

"Budge over," he said, "I'm coming in."

Bella smiled and launched herself into his arms as soon as he had crossed the windowsill.

"Woah," he said, stepping back under her weight, but wrapping his arms around her.

"I've missed you."

"Yeah," he said, "that is why I'm sneaking into your bedroom in the middle of the night when I happen to know your bloodsucker is gone."

"Jake," she admonished, but she was still smiling, "sit."

She pointed to the floor and he complied with a smile.

"Do I get a treat?"

She grinned, but shook her head, sitting next to him and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I miss the time when things were simpler between us," she murmured, "no strings attached."

"That would be before the bloodsuckers were back. You could just make them go away…"

He trailed off seeing her disappointed expression.

"Can I tell you something, Jake," she asked after a bit, her head leaning on his shoulder, his arm wrapped casually against her waist.

"Sure, anything."

"I was talking to Harry today-"

"Head of the new bloodsuck- group that's come to town."

She frowned, but nodded her head, "he told me to stay human. It was weird really. At first I thought Edward might have put him up to it. But that's not what he meant. He told me that sometimes you just had to let go."

Jacob was silent for a moment. He'd misjudged the bloodsucker. From first sight, he'd thought he was a stuck up arrogant jackass. Rather like Cullen, really. But it seemed he understood some things. The well being of the girl sitting next to him for example.

"He's right you know, Bells. And I'm not just saying that for my benefit."

"Than for who's?" she asked, pulling back to look at him. He gazed at her sadly.

"For yours."

She huffed angrily and was silent for a long time, but then she sighed, relaxing into his arms.

"I don't know what to think or feel any more, Jake. This morning everything was so clear to me. Everything made since. My path was laid out and now…. I don't even know what I'm supposed to be doing anymore."

"You know I'm here for you, Bells." But under his breath she could hear him mumble, "Until your heart stops beating."

She sighed, but leaned against him and he stayed that way until he felt her drift off to sleep. He sighed, considered leaving, returning to his own bed, but he smiled, imagining the look on Cullen's face when he realized he had stayed here, and simply leaned his head against Bella's and drifted off to sleep.


	9. Chapter 9

Harry was sitting quietly outside Draco and his house. Of the many things that Harry and Draco had been over the years: enemies, and then begrudging allies, he had never thought they would be room mates. They didn't actually see a lot of each other. They were very different and when they were in each others company they argued a lot, but they agreed to disagree and could stand each other. But most of their time was spent in solitude or in the company of the Cullen's.

"You talked to her," the words came from right behind him, and Harry had to compliment Edward on his ability to sneak up behind people.

"You asked me to look after her, did you not?" Harry said calmly, turning to face him, "did she repeat what I told her? I'm not ashamed."

"No," Edward said tiredly, running a hand through his bronze hair, "she didn't tell me what you said. But… she was asking about you, trying to find out what I knew about you."

"And you told her…."

"That you'd been through a lot."

"Hmmmph," Harry said, neither annoyed nor pleased, "I suppose that is the least complicated answer you could have given, though I suppose you know that it doesn't even cover it."

"You've lead a more... painful life than most mortals, I suppose."

"Than most vampires, too," he muttered under his breath, "but we weren't talking about me. We were talking about your girlfriend."

Edward sighed, and lifted his hand to massage his temples. He looked pained and for all Harry felt sorry for him, he knew that Bella would be better off if she was away from him. For her own good.

"Yes," Edward murmured, "you're right of course."

"Excuse me," Harry asked lightly.

"Bella would be better off without me."

Harry nodded, but tightened his Occlumency shields around his mind and he could see Edward wince as he felt Harry's mind dissapear.

"Sorry. I forget sometimes that most people are not comfortable with people reading their thoughts."

"I've had some bad experiences," Harry said with a tight smile, "she loves you."

"Yes," Edward said tightly, "how and why I am blessed with such a gift, I don't know."

"She would be better off without you though."

"Yes," Edward said, looking at Harry with such pained eyes that he knew that Edward knew the consequences of what Bella wanted just as well, if not better than Harry did, "I just want her to be safe."

"And human," Harry added.

"And human," Edward agreed, "but I can't just leave. It didn't work quite that well last time."

"Leave it to me."

* * *

Harry had decided early on that he would approach Bella at lunch as he had before. He had never intended to become entangled in this drama, human or vampire. And it occurred to him Draco might hate him for it. She would die if she remained human, eventually. B Why he even cared was beyond him. She was just some human, insignificant. She had no special talents as far as he was could tell. She was neither excruciatingly beautiful, nor terribly clever. She was simple, ordinary, and yet... he wanted her to be safe. He didn't know why, or even how. But he wanted her to remain human and happy and never have to deal with consequences that she couldn't even begin to imagine now.

The Cullens weren't at school again today. The sun was bright and shining proudly, the temperature finally touching the 70's. The Cullens were confined to the house for the day and Harry was forced to place a light glamor on his skin every hour, a luxury the Cullen's didn't have. He'd expressed the need to speak to Bella alone to Draco, and Draco had decided to just opt out of coming to school all together. It was easy to say that Draco didn't enjoy living like a Muggle anymore than Harry did like a vampire.

He caught up to Bella as she entered the cafeteria. Walking faster and parting the crowd of humans easily until he stood by her side, when he slowed his pace and walked carefully by her side as she walked through the lunch line. Neither felt the need to speak until they were both sitting down at the Cullen's usual lunch table.

"Have you thought about what I said," he asked her.

"Yes," she admitted nervously, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "a lot actually."

"And your conclusion?"

"That our circumstances are very different."

"Wh-"

"No," she interrupted, "It's my turn to talk today. I've been thinking a lot about what you said, and your point of view on everything. I think that you were in love and you feel that it's been snatched from you. You were in love with a girl, but I also think you were just in love with life. Edward says you've been through a lot and I believe it. I don't think that what you've said is wrong. But you have to understand that I'm not you."

"You had normal friends-"

"Not exactly-"

"I mean non-immortal friends and a normal girlfriend, fine non-immortal girlfriend, and a life. But I don't. I don't fit in well with normal people."

She gestured around the cafeteria as if to symbolize the normalcy of it all.

"I fit in with a crowd of vampires and werewolves, and there I'm a liability. Like a little glass doll and I hate that. I want to be on even standings with my friends, and my boyfriend."

He was leaning back in his chair, watching her with eyes that didn't really portray what he was feeling. And she felt nervous under his gaze.

"Maybe you chose the wrong group of friends," he said it so calmly, so evenly, that she was supremely shocked. He spoke as if they weren't his friends either.

"You don't believe that," she said, shaking her head.

"And if I did? Would you contradict me? Are your friends, your boyfriend, better for your health then them?" He asked, jabbing his thumb towards a table of innocently laughing seniors.

"I'm happy," she mumbled, but it sounded as if she was trying to convince herself too, "Maybe it's not better for my health, but it's better for my heart."

"Is it really?" he asked her, his eyes so heavily scrutinizing her face that she felt herself blushing, "Tell me would you not be happy with that boy that Edward always grumbles about, Jacob, whatever his name is? I would think your heart might be a little bit happier when it was beating."

"Don't bring Jake into this. It isn't about him."

"Is it really?"

He raised one eyebrow, and she hated how he was able to make her feel doubt. She had made her choice from the first minute she realized that she had loved Edward, she had never doubted him. Even when he'd left her, she has still known that she would do anything for him. _Anything. _So why now did she feel like maybe she had made the wrong choice. There were things she had liked about being human, and she had felt genuine happiness when she was with Jacob. Maybe, she could… but she didn't know what came next.

"My point exactly," he said, and she wondered what had really happened to him to make him so bitter.

* * *

Ginny was frustrated. Ginny was happy. Ginny was in love. Ginny was sad. Ginny was.... unsure. She sighed, and leaned a hand up to the fireplace, placing all her weight on it and letter her eyes dart up to the floo canister for the umpteenth time. The reason for the spiral of emotions swirling around her was the letter clutched in her other hand. A letter that had been wrinkled, smoothed over again, tossed into a ball and thrown across the room, smoothed, folded and then taken out again. To answer it all, it was Harry's letter.

_Dear Ginny,_

_I wanted to let you know how much your letter meant to me. I love you. You do know that don't you? I miss you more than you can imagine. You would not believe how dull Draco's company can be, well actually I can imagine you do. I miss you and your siblings, and Hermione. I really do want to see you. I'm sorry if sometimes it has seemed as if I didn't. I never said goodbye, goodbye's have never been my specialty._

_There is something that I want you to know before you see me (if you still wish to come that is). I don't know if you know a lot about vampires, I imagine that you do. We don't look the same as normal people, or how we looked before. I look different. It still scares me every time I look in the mirror. My eyes are a different color, my skin is pale white, my features are unrecognizable, but underneath it all I'm still the gangly boy that was scared to admit that he liked his best mate's sister. I don't know if this is the end. I never want to ask you to change, but I will always be eighteen, and you will grow and change, that is the natural way of the world. I want this to work, and I promise that I will try. But I don't know how this can last forever. _

_HJP_

_P.S Address is 148 Highland Drive._

She knew she and Harry wouldn't last. She wasn't willing to become a vampire, and he couldn't stop being one. A year, two years, three, maybe they could stretch it out for longer, but the parting was inevitable. She knew that as well as Harry did. So was it better to go, to be happy with him, but cause herself further heartache when she had to leave. Or suffer now when she knew she could be with him.

She started to cry and she didn't even know why. Was it because she missed him? Was it because she knew that they could never work out? Was it because she couldn't choose? Was it wrong for her to go? Was it wrong to stay away?

She sighed. Took a deep breath dipped her hand into the jar of floo powder and stepped into the fireplace.


	10. Chapter 10

**AN. I have been working on this chapter for _months_. I can't even tell you how many times I've written it, erased it, re-written it, found the previous version was better, and then started all over. This is the result of months of labor. This story is really turning out to be different than I expected, it's about the complications of vampire/human relationships and how it tears them apart. We'll see more of that later. Enjoy! (SO SORRY FOR THE UPDATE TIME!)**

Harry was tired. He never slept, he knew he didn't need to, but every night he found himself lying in his bed, his eyes closed. Praying, hoping for sleep. It never came. It was just another reminder of what he was.

Draco seemed to accept all situations with a cool kind of indifference. He didn't seem to care that he was now a vampire or that he was in love with a girl that had no hope of ever loving him back. Harry cared about everything. Too much. He missed the wizarding world. Missed Ginny. Missed his friends. Missed Hogwarts. He felt like he would never feel at home again.

Harry remembered that they had once been assigned the topic of vampires. Third year, Lupin's class. The chapter described vampires in detail. _Malicious creatures, _the chapter had begun, _vampires infallible bloodlust is well known throughout the entire world and has even been incorporated into the Muggle world. _The entire chapter contained detailed descriptions of the evils and dangers of vampires and how to rid the world of them. Harry often wondered if what he was did make him evil.

He wanted blood. He felt ashamed, but he wanted it so badly. He sat in class and he could hear every heartbeat, he could feel the pulse of blood flowing through veins. So soft and fragile, so easy and in reach and he wanted it. He felt evil and vile and disgusting, but Merlin he wanted that blood. He didn't feel human, he couldn't pretend that he was anymore.

"Do you ever feel like a monster?" he questioned Alice as they sat together at lunch.

She stopped the endless chatter about the shopping trip she'd been planning for the weekend and looked at him her cheerful face turning solemn. He could feel Edward listening from across the table and Bella had stopped eating, the food halfway to her mouth.

"You're not a monster," she said softly, but Harry knew their entire table could hear it.

His smile was bitter and he thought of the horror on Hermione's face, the letters he sent, but he could never deliver in person. He thought of his letters to Ginny begging her to come, but secretly hoping she wouldn't, just so he wouldn't have to see the disgust across her face. He thought of the pain that had become a constant burning in the back of his throat, he thought of all the blood pumping in all the veins in the entire cafeteria, and how their smell bore down upon him. He thought of the speed which he could take down a running animal.

"Oh, but I am. Aren't I? he said cynically, with a sneer crossing his face. (He wondered when he'd started to act like a Slytherin instead of a Gryffindor. He thinks it's at the same time his life became a living hell.)

"Harry, the way that we live, the way that you live, is what separates us from the monsters. We are able to escape from that fate." She takes his hand from across the table; he wants to draw it away, remembering how Ginny used to always do the same thing, but he doesn't, "You never have to hurt anyone, Harry. You will never have to kill anyone."

He remembers the faces of everyone that he is killed. They were at their worst. Evil in a way that he will never be. (He used to think that, he isn't so sure now.) They had killed without mercy, without regret, without guilt. They had killed his friends, people he was close to, and people whose names he had never bothered to learn. (He wishes he had now.) If he is being honest with himself he knows that he was doing the world a favor when he killed them. It was either kill or be killed in a battle, and he chose to live. But, he still remembers their faces, and some of their names to. And he knows that they too were men, with wives and husbands and children, and people would mourn them the same as he would mourn his friends. Perhaps even if he wasn't a vampire, he would be a monster.

He can hear Draco chuckling from across the table, and Harry shoots him a glare. There gaze meets and for a moment, Harry wonders if Draco remembers all the men that he's killed. Both for Voldemort and for the Order. As he looks into his dark eyes across the table, he thinks that he might.

He turns back to Alice and he sees the concern in her eyes.

"But I want to, Alice. I might never act on it. But it doesn't matter, the fact that I want it, that's what makes me a monster. And that will never go away. I want to kill every single person in this room and despite the fact that I won't do anything about it, I still want it."

Alice is silent and she draws her hand away with a quiet sigh. There's very little she could say after that, so she just lets it be. The table has fallen silent and no one knows how to break it. Admitting to wanting to kill everyone in the room is a bit of a conversation crusher, he must admit. And suddenly there is laughter. It's high and piercing, poignant in the silence that has fallen over the table. All faces turn to Draco Malfoy who is drowning in his laughter.

He's gasping for air to fill his lungs, and it takes him a minute before he can speak.

"You take the tortured aspect to a new level don't you, Potter?" Malfoy says when he can finally speak. (Harry still doesn't understand what's funny.)

"Have you ever been happy?" Draco asks, "I mean either you're moping over the death of your parents, whining because of your destiny, and now that's finally over with, you're brooding over your own blood thirsty nature."

He's off on another laughing spree, until he manages to pant out, "and I used to be jealous of you."

Harry allows a thin smile to cross his face, but its short lived and slides off his face in an instant. It takes Draco a moment to recover himself and by that time, most of the occupants of the small cafeteria are staring at their little corner.

"Show's over," Draco announces in a loud voice and most of the people in the room have the decency to blush and look the other way.

There's something in the air today, Harry decides, as Draco hums a tune loudly and off key (Harry wonders how that's possible with such a melodic voice, but Draco manages). Something that has turned his thoughts dark and broody and Draco's loud and impetuous. He wants to laugh and sing and scream, just scream, because he hates what he's become. Both in body and in mind. And he longs for the days when it was just him, Hermione and the Weasley's on a hot summer's day flying around a large field. Swooping and shouting, the wind in his hair and the heat making everyone a little crazy. Had it been a month? A year? A lifetime? It feels that way.

Classes flash by in a pass. He's been studying during the nights, he really hasn't had a great Muggle education since he was eleven and Draco has learned almost none of it. School is torture, but he finds that there is something to revel in working hard to become good at something. His grades are steadily rising, and he finds he actually understands what most of the teachers are saying.

Hours pass by in mere minutes and before he knows it he is home, swinging his book bag and keys on the kitchen table and moving into the kitchen. He takes a Tupperware container of blood out of refrigerator and pours it into a cup and moves to the living room to start his night long study session. He has barely pressed the glass of blood to his mouth when he smells a different scent in the house. He doesn't recognize it as any of the Cullens, nor of any humans he has met in this small town. He's moving through the house quickly, his nose leading him to the living room.

She is standing there. He is silent for a moment, simply breathing her in. Her fingertips brush the empty mantelpiece and then trail along the Muggle school books strewn across the coffee table and coach. Her eyes drink up the room that is Harry's new home, and his eyes drink up her. He can see her more clearly than he has ever seen her before. Every detail is flawless and he thinks that he has never seen anyone more beautiful. He can see each light freckle across her nose, each color swirling in her brown eyes, each strand of hair a different shade of red-gold. Her fingers stop their journey across his books and her eyes flash up to survey the room and she sees him.

There is a moment of silence and neither of them say a word. They are surveying the changes in each other and Harry is suddenly aware of how pale white his skin is. How faultless his face is, how glasses no longer cover eyes that are no longer emerald green. He is aware of how un-human he is and he wants to turn away from her, but he finds that he can't.

She is in his arms in a second and he breathes in the floral scent of her hair.

"I've missed you," he finds himself murmuring in her hair.

She shudders and he isn't quite sure if it's from fear or pleasure. She hugs herself closer to his chest, but soon she is shivering so she lets go. She leans back in his hands, her eyes examining his face. Her fingers reach over to brush the hair out of his face, her fingers skimming over the scar, a thin red line across his pale forehead.

"What's happened to you?" she asks him and he sighs and finds that he can't look her in the eyes.

"You know what happened," he says wearily.

"Yes," she says with a frustrated humph and Harry thinks that she hasn't changed at all, "I know what you are, but I feel like I don't even know who you are anymore."

He wants desperately to tell her he is the same boy that she has known all these years, but he finds the words are stuck in his throat.

"I love you," he says instead.

She is silent for a long time, before letting out a long breath.

"I love you, too," she says, wrinkling her nose, "I don't think I could ever stop."

He pulls her into his arms again, her scent filling his nose and causing the familiar burning in his throat, both a pleasure and a pain. He holds her to him and he wonders how long it can last.


End file.
